Experience, community informs Dave Cameron’s Coach of the Year win
Dave Cameron has a palpable aura to him.
It’s felt when he enters the room, the air goes still to the point where you can hear the electrical buzz emanating from the overhead lights.
When Dave Cameron talks, everybody listens.
His presence can be a bit intimidating to the uninitiated, as his stoic demeanour and reputation precede him. However, once Cameron makes himself heard, it’s hard not to get wrapped up in his words, his philosophy, and his presence.
Given these three things, it’s no surprise that Dave Cameron earned the honour of being named the OHL’s Coach of the Year for the 2025-26 season.
“He’s been huge, not just this year, but my entire career here,” said overager Cooper Foster, who has spent five seasons under the tutelage of Cameron. “He’s done an unbelievable job with his players.”
Cameron speaks in a bit of a quieter tone, despite the affirmations that his voice carries.
Conversations with Dave Cameron can feel a little intimate as you are forced to lean in and cling to each passing word.
“He’s such a calming presence,” said overager Nic Sima of his coach. “We’re confident, relaxed, because our coach has our back and believes in us, and isn’t freaking out on us.”
While NHL coaches tend to be short with words, often to the chagrin of reporters and fans alike, Cameron rarely is. His answers are holistic and lush with lessons and glimpses into his experiences.
A background as an ex-NHL player and high-school guidance counsellor informs his approach to coaching, getting the players prepared for the next level, whether that is the pros, the NHL or even adult life.
“He’s a fair coach,” said Foster. “Not only is he a hockey coach, but he’s a life mentor to me as well.”
While winning the OHL’s Coach of the Year award, especially for the second time in the last four seasons, is reflective of Dave Cameron’s ability as a coach, he’ll be the first to tell you that it takes an army to get there.
“I think if you talked to anybody in any sport that won coach of the year, there’s a lot of common denominators, first and foremost, you have to have good players,” said Cameron. “It has to be a good organisation, because it’s not a one-man show.”
“It’d be like if a school got some type of award for being the best school,” said Cameron. “The principal would accept the award, but he didn’t do all the work.”
“He just got this group together right from the start,” said Foster. “He gives us great starting points, but it’s our group of guys that took his message to heart and rolled it from there.”
For Cameron, much like any reward, it’s a reflection of the team’s total buy-in, from the players on the bench to the training and support staff, all the way up to the food chain.
“You don’t have a good team because you get lucky, but because you have scouts who are out at rinks late at night, on a Friday when it’s 40 below, and they find players for you,” said Cameron.
“I’m really excited because I get to share it with my staff, who are exceptional,” said Cameron. “I get to share it with the organisation because they do everything for us.”
“That’s what’s best for me, because it truly is a team award,” said Cameron. “You don’t win coach of the year if you have a bad team.”
